1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to article carrying baskets, and more particularly to an article carrying basket adapted for attachment to mobile walkers used by individuals when they need assistance or additional support when walking.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Support devices which are mobile and used as walking aids are generally referred to as xe2x80x9cwalkersxe2x80x9d. These devices generally consist of a three-sided frame formed of a front and side portions which are open at the rear to allow the user to occupy the space defined by the front and side portions and to support himself or herself at the sides of the frame by handle grip bars. These walkers are widely used by elderly individuals, as well as individuals who are recuperating from operations or have suffered physical injury or disability and need additional support or assistance to move about safely.
While these walkers offer assistance or support to individuals, it is difficult for the individuals to transport various articles or items about when using the walker. The movement of the walker necessarily involves the use of both hands, so that the individual is unable to carry anything when manipulating the walker. This creates a considerable inconvenience to the user.
Container accessories specifically designed for attachment to walkers have been developed. For example, various representative prior art carrier attachment structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,184,618; 4,676,416 and 4,449,750. However, each of the structures disclosed in the aforementioned representative patents suffer from one or more drawbacks and/or limitations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,618 to Jones discloses a box-like caddy suspended to a horizontal cross member of the walker by means of hangers attached to opposite walls of the caddy. No additional means are provided for securing the caddy to the walker. Consequently, the disclosed structure is subject to being shifted about during movement of the walker, or rotating about the hanger attachments, and thereby tipping, under the weight of items placed in the caddy. In addition, the disclosed caddy does not have means for being manually transported apart from the walker. Furthermore, Jones discloses a relatively heavy, non-collapsible caddy which is not amenable to being efficiently packaged for storage, shipping, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,416 to Harmon discloses a collapsible carrier which is formed from a flexible sheet fabric type material. The carrier is provided with hanging straps designed to be looped around various horizontal members of the walker such that the attached carrier is positioned entirely within the U-shaped space defined by the front and side portions of the walker. Consequently, the person using the walker cannot occupy the majority of this space when the carrier is attached. Furthermore, the carrier is not adapted for being manually carried independent of the walker.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,750 to Harmon discloses a container accessory configured for removable attachment to a walker. However, the disclosed container includes a framework of tubular frame members and panels constructed from a relatively heavy material, e.g., aluminum, and has a relatively complex construction. Consequently, the disclosed container is not amenable to being efficiently packaged, stored, or assembled. Furthermore, the container is not designed for being carried about or used apart from the walker.
Accordingly, there is an established need for an article carrying attachment for a mobile walker overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations of the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an article carrier removably attachable to a mobile walker and having a simple construction amenable to being efficiently assembled and disassembled with minimal effort by an individual with limited disability without assistance and tools.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an article carrier having structure for pivotally supporting the carrier about a horizontal member of a walker, wherein the geometric design of the carrier enables a user to carry items therein without auxiliary carrier support.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an article carrier having extendible arms adapted for bracing the carrier against the walker, wherein the arms can be selectively adjusted to alter the horizontal position of the carrier in order to accommodate multiple walker designs.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an article carrier having means for enabling the carrier to be manually transported for use apart from the mobile walker.
One aspect of the invention provides an article-carrying apparatus including a front panel, a rear panel, a base panel and a pair of opposed side panels each having peripherally positioned snap-fit connection means for facilitating panel-to-panel attachment during assembly. The side panels each have an inverted U-shaped handle portion including an inner curvature sized and shaped for frictionally engaging a horizontal frame member of the walker and for enabling pivotal support of the side panel thereon. A pair of horizontally disposed slidable arms are maintained beneath the base panel and can be outwardly extended to engage vertical extending legs of the walker.
As to another aspect of the invention, the snap fit connection means are comprised of individual connecting units formed on adjacent panels. A pair of resilient tong members separated by a stiffening member are provided extending outwardly from the periphery of one panel. A slot-shaped opening provided in a corresponding adjacent panel is sized and shaped for having the tong members snap-fitted therethrough. The panels can be disassembled by manually deflecting the tong members while pulling the adjacent panels apart.
A further embodiment of the invention provides slidably extendable arms secured to the underside of the base panel by integral support members and having a unitary molded construction including forked and C-shaped ends separated by a main body portion. The forked end includes a pair of resilient prongs which are inwardly deflected when inserted through the support members during assembly and which include outwardly extending portions for restricting movement in the opposite direction during outward extension of the slidable arm. The C-shaped end has a resilient construction adapted for being releasably attached to a vertical depending leg of the walker for providing additional carrier bracing.
Still another aspect of the invention provides a side panel geometry wherein lateral edges of each side panel slant rearwardly from the upper panel edge to the lower panel edge. The inverted U-shaped handle portions have an inner curvature sized and shaped to frictionally engage a horizontal frame member of the walker and enable the respective side panels to be pivotally supported thereon. Upon suspending the carrier from the horizontal frame member a center of the inner curvature and a lower edge of the front panel intersect a common vertical plane.
These and other objects and aspects of the invention are achieved by the article-carrying apparatus which is described hereinbelow.